AbeBooks' Reading Copy » librarieshttp://www.abebooks.com/blog
AbeBooks book blogSat, 01 Aug 2015 14:24:28 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3What Are Librarians Reading?http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2015/02/17/what-are-librarians-reading/
http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2015/02/17/what-are-librarians-reading/#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 15:49:14 +0000http://www.abebooks.com/blog/?p=22183
When it comes to voracious readers, we know no better example than librarians. These are the people steeped in the day-to-day curating, maintenance and knowledge of the collections in the stacks of our local libraries. We couldn’t help but wonder – when immersed in endless books day after day, how do you choose what to read?

We asked 10 librarians what books they were currently reading. Their eclectic selections ranged from a thriller set in a home furnishing store (IKEA Noir?) to Thomas Hardy and one of the Monty Python stars and far beyond. Let’s discover what the experts on reading are reading.

]]>http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2015/02/17/what-are-librarians-reading/feed/0Banned Books Week 2014http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2014/09/23/banned-books-week-2014/
http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2014/09/23/banned-books-week-2014/#commentsTue, 23 Sep 2014 17:17:30 +0000http://www.abebooks.com/blog/?p=21632It’s Banned Books Week again. If you’re not familiar, Banned Books Week is an annual week-long series of events that celebrate our freedom to read, and call attention to how often that freedom is threatened and quashed. This year the promotions run September 21st – 27th.

The American Library Association is the brains behind the operation, and they work hard to spread awareness about the threat of censorhip, and to remove barriers to literacy and books. As of the writing of this post, this is the most current list of Most Challenged Books (from 2013 – a list from 2014 will likely be forthcoming shortly after the year’s end). These are the books that various people, for various reasons have tried to restrict access to. Rather than simply choosing not to read the books themselves, they’ve taken it upon themselves to try to ensure nobody else can, either. Here is a video review of one of the most often challenged or banned books from the list below, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Watch our video, read the book, decide for yourself.

Here is the most current list:

1. Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
The bestselling series has been cited for offensive language, unsuited to age group and violence since its first book hit libraries in 1997. It topped the list in 2012, too.

2. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
As one of America’s most important authors, Toni Morrison is no stranger to book bans and challenges. Her 1970 debut novel The Bluest Eye has been cited for offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group and violence.

4. Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James
It’s no surprise to see the 2012 bestseller on yet another challenged list. It’s been cited for nudity, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit and unsuited to age group.

5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Arguably the most popular series since Harry Potter, The Hunger Games has been cited for religious viewpoint and unsuited to age group.

6. A Bad Boy Can Be Good for A Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
The School Library Journal called it book of the week when it first hit shelves in 2006, but challengers cite it for drugs, alcohol, smoking, nudity, offensive language and sexually explicit.

7. Looking for Alaska by John Green
John Green is the author of the hit novel The Fault in Our Stars. His debut novel Looking for Alaska won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association, but is cited for drugs, alcohol, smoking, sexually explicit and unsuited to age group.

8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Another book from our list of 50 Essential Young Adult Novels. The 1999 coming-of-age novel was re-popularized with the 2012 film adaption starring Emma Watson. It’s cited for drugs, alcohol, smoking, homosexuality, sexually explicit and unsuited to age group.

9. Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
The 1972 novel was awarded the Premio Quinto Sol Award which recognizes the best fictional work by Mexican American authors as a means of promoting Chicano writers. It’s cited for occult, satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint and sexually explicit

10. Bone by Jeff Smith
The popular graphic novel series for children has been cited for political viewpoint, racism and violence.

Banning books, challenging books, and of course even burning books is neither unusual nor new, but each year we see more voices added to the fight against it, and the fight for access to literature and to information. What can you do to help keep books accessible for everyone who wants to read them? Get involved! From the ALA web site:

“The ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) offers a variety of resources for libraries, schools, and other organizations that want to get involved with and promote Banned Books Week. See the links on the left for information on promotional materials for sale at the ALA Store, free materials you can download or print off of the ALA website, and ideas for planning a Banned Books Week event in your community.”

See more ideas and resources about the prevention of censorship on the ALA web site.

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo is the 2014 winner of the John Newbery Medal, awarded by the American Library Association for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Illustrated by K.G. Campbell, DiCamillo’s mash-up of comics, prose, and even poetry, is a high-energy romp about a lonely girl named Flora and her super-hero friend, Ulysses, who happens to be a squirrel.

This year’s winner of the Caldecott Medal for most distinguished picture book is Locamotive by Brian Floca, a detailed and beautifully illustrated story of 19th century train travel. And the 2014 Michael L. Printz Award for young adult literature went to Marcus Sedgwick’s Midwinterblood, a darkly atmospheric tale encompassing both past and future, told in reverse chronological order.

The awards were announced on January 27 at the American Library Association’s midwinter conference in Philadelphia.

As predicted by almost everyone, this small book of psalms from 1640, known as the Bay Psalm Book, has become the world’s most expensive printed book after being auctioned by Sotheby’s last night in New York for $14.2 million.

The Bay Psalm Book is the first known book to be printed in what became the United States. Sotheby’s reported the buyer was US financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein, who planned to loan it to libraries. That’s a special gesture from a very rich man but we have seen it before. In 2007, Rubenstein purchased a copy of the Magna Carta at auction for $21.3 million, and then loaned it to the National Archives in Washington DC.

A remarkable piece of Puritan and American history, the book is an English translation of the original Hebrew psalms, and was owned by a church in Boston. The book sold is one of 11 copies known to exist from about 1,700 copies originally printed.

He is the co-founder of The Carlyle Group, a private equity investment firm and, according to Forbes, he is apparently worth $3 billion although I’m never sure how those figures are calculated. He also has an amazing track record of donating to good causes – $4.5 million to the US National Zoo for its panda reproduction program (goodness, those pandas need a lot of financial encouragement to get it on), $7.5 million to repair the Washington Monument, $13.5 million to the National Archives, and $50 million to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

]]>http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/11/27/the-ultimate-philanthropist-david-rubenstein-spends-14-2m-on-bay-psalm-book/feed/0The rock star of rare books goes on tourhttp://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/09/10/the-rock-star-of-rare-books-goes-on-tour/
http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/09/10/the-rock-star-of-rare-books-goes-on-tour/#commentsWed, 11 Sep 2013 00:03:33 +0000http://www.abebooks.com/blog/?p=19646The book that could become the world’s most expensive book is going on tour. Rather like a rock star except the gigs are in libraries rather than stadiums. However, the Bay Psalm Book actually does have celebrity status within the rare book world and Sotheby’s will auction a very rare copy on November 26.

In the meantime, the copy in question is touring America – a sort of final countdown to the big auction night in New York. The first stop is Chicago’s Newberry Library on September 11. It goes on to St Louis and then Cleveland.

The Bay Psalm Book was printed in 1640. Experts at Sotheby’s estimate the sale price will be between $15 million and $30 million.

It was the first book printed in what became the United States so it has huge cultural significance. The last Bay Psalm Book to be sold was bought at a Sotheby’s auction in 1947 for $151,000 by Yale University. Only 11 copies survive and this particular copy is in remarkable shape considering its age. The book itself is a psalter, a book of psalms that were translated into English from Hebrew in the early years of the American colony.

The most expensive book ever sold was Codex Leicester by Leonardo da Vinci, bought for $30.8 million in 1994 by Bill Gates. However, Codex Leicester is a handwritten journal featuring da Vinci’s thoughts and theories on various subjects, while the Bay Psalm Book is a printed book (just one worth at least $15 million).

If you have a chance, then you should see this piece of American history. The tour dates are:

]]>http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/09/10/the-rock-star-of-rare-books-goes-on-tour/feed/0Books Meet Beastie Boys: Sabotage Re-enacted by Librarianshttp://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/08/19/books-meet-beastie-boys-sabotage-re-enacted-by-librarians/
http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/08/19/books-meet-beastie-boys-sabotage-re-enacted-by-librarians/#commentsMon, 19 Aug 2013 16:46:45 +0000http://www.abebooks.com/blog/?p=19516Here’s some Monday morning fun to put a smile on your face – the librarians at the New York Public Library have re-enacted the Beastie Boys’ epic 1994 music video, directed by Spike Jonze, for their song Sabotage.

]]>http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/08/19/books-meet-beastie-boys-sabotage-re-enacted-by-librarians/feed/0Winnie-the-Pooh and Other Animals at the New York Public Libraryhttp://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/04/24/winnie-the-pooh-and-other-animals-at-the-new-york-public-library/
http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/04/24/winnie-the-pooh-and-other-animals-at-the-new-york-public-library/#commentsWed, 24 Apr 2013 15:50:02 +0000http://www.abebooks.com/blog/?p=19041

Last week I was in New York for the ABAA New York Antiquarian Book Fair and also the Manhattan Vintage Book & Ephemera Show. As always, New York offered amazing bookstores and a buzzing city.

I had some spare time, and in keeping with the book theme, decided to visit the main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. For me, this building is the very best of what a library can be; beautiful architecture, unique books and a great children’s book collection.

Walking down Fifth Avenue, my first glimpse of the library was the iconic lions (top left), Patience and Fortitude. The library lions are instantly recognizable and mark the library as a special place. On this visit, there were two Lego replicas of the beloved lions (top right) inside the building – definitely worth a look for Lego lovers!

The NYPL is the second largest library in the US and the third largest in the world, with at least 53 million items. The building was designed by John Merven Carrère and Thomas Hastings between 1897 and 1911 and is stunning example of Beaux-Arts design. At the time of construction, the library was the largest marble structure ever built in the US.

In a corner of the children’s library I discovered an exhibit of the real Winnie the Pooh animals: Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, Tigger and Pooh. The animals belonged to Christopher Milne, son of the author, A.A. Milne and the books were donated to the New York Public Library in 1987 by the publisher of the Pooh books (aside: if you don’t know the origins of Winnie the Pooh, they are fascinating).

When you look at these animals you can see they were well loved, with worn patches and bits of fur missing, this makes them that much more endearing . Knowing that the stories were based on treasured and well-loved toys makes them even better to read, I can’t wait to rediscover these tales with my daughters.

This is a unique reading list – these books were all written by librarians and most of them were recommended to us by librarians. If any profession is well qualified to write books then librarians truly fit the bill.

Librarians are loyal customers of AbeBooks and we tend to listen when they speak. But it was interesting to see so many librarians recommend Casanova’s autobiography – were they trying to tell us something? This famous Italian adventurer and lover was a librarian in the household of the German nobleman Count Waldstein. The authors on this list range from the top dogs at the Library of Congress to folks who have worked at the national libraries of Argentina, France and Sweden, and people who have checked books in and out at public and school libraries.

We decided to exclude Chairman Mao and his Little Red Book. This one-time librarian at Peking University is perhaps the most widely read of all librarians who wrote but it was under extraordinary circumstances (although it is now thought the book was ghostwritten). Our featured book (pictured at left) is Hemlock and After by Angus Wilson, illustrated by Ronald Searle, and was a bestseller in 1952. Wilson was a librarian in the British Museum.

Davina worked for London’s Westminster Libraries and still volunteers at St James’s Library.

]]>http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/03/18/literature-from-librarians-great-reads-written-by-the-experts/feed/0Where Van Halen Meets Librarians: The Weirdest Thing You will See Todayhttp://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/27/where-van-halen-meets-librarians-the-weirdest-thing-you-will-see-today/
http://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2013/02/27/where-van-halen-meets-librarians-the-weirdest-thing-you-will-see-today/#commentsWed, 27 Feb 2013 16:33:35 +0000http://www.abebooks.com/blog/?p=18436To describe this video in only one word would never do it justice, but if I had to: bizarre.

Featuring a stern, turtlenecked librarian named Betty Glover, this is nearly five minutes of surreal, spoof workout advice for librarians, made in 1987 by an Arizona State University student. While disturbingly sizeist and focused on the horror of fatness, the video is also totally delightful, and liberal in its use of Van Halen, Huey Lewis and the News, Tears for Fears, Billy Idol, Devo and other 80s musical greats. The tape claims to offer librarians a way to fight slack muscles and flab while in their element, with such exercises as the vertical drawer pull, and horizontal drawer pull, and rapid-fire stapling.

Weird. I do enjoy that the dictatorial and not-to-be-messed-with Betty Glover comes with her own riding crop. The staff won’t be getting lazy on her watch.

A treat for the fine booklover, or anyone who enjoys the excellent artistry of bookbinding: The Kelliegram Binding.

Kelliegram bindings often involved intricate leather work, such as leather inlays or onlays to create an image, a scene, or a mosaic effect. It was common for the Kelliegram binders to choose an engraving from the body of the book and recreate it in leather for the cover image.

Kelliegram bindings were one of many innovations of the English commercial binding firm of Kelly & Sons. The Kelly family had one of the longest connections in the history of the binding trade in London, having been founded in 1770 by John Kellie, as the name was then spelled. The binding firm was carried on by successive members of the family into the 1930s. William Henry Kelly significantly developed the company in the first half of the nineteenth century, followed by William Henry, Jr., Henry, and Hubert Kelly, who took control in 1892, taking the firm into the twentieth century.

In the 1880s, Kelly & Sons began to use cloth with the reverse side showing for the sides of half-leather bindings. The reverse cloth had a more interesting and less artificial appearance, with an additional advantage of not being affected by water. The development that came to be known as Kelliegram was one of the bindery’s most notable, and the popularity continues today as demonstrated by the prices Kelliegram bindings command at auction and in the rare book trade.